Every time I think that I'm the only one who's lonely
Someone calls on me
And every now and then I spend my time in rhyme and verse
And curse those faults in me

And then along comes Mary
And does she want to give me kicks , and be my steady chick
And give me pick of memories
Or maybe rather gather tales of all the fails and tribulations
No one ever sees

When we met I was sure out to lunch
Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

When vague desire is the fire in the eyes of chicks
Whose sickness is the games they play
And when the masquerade is played and neighbor folks make jokes
As who is most to blame today

And then along comes Mary
And does she want to set them free, and let them see reality
From where she got her name
And will they struggle much when told that such a tender touch as hers
Will make them not the same

When we met I was sure out to lunch
Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

And when the morning of the warning's passed, the gassed
And flaccid kids are flung across the stars
The psychodramas and the traumas gone
The songs are left unsung and hung upon the scars

And then along comes Mary
And does she want to see the stains, the dead remains of all the pains
She left the night before
Or will their waking eyes reflect the lies, and make them
Realize their urgent cry for sight no more

When we met I was sure out to lunch
Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch

21 Comments

General CommentThere's no need to argue the point whether the lyrics are about Mary as the virgin mother or Mary as marijuana...it is, of course, both. Any writer of any decent talent doesn't even bother writing poems, stories or lyrics without giving the lines two, three or fours levels of meaning. Here, considering the 'establishment', Mary is simply a girl-friend (this is all that parental types and squares would be aware of); for the 'counter-culture', their realm of knowledge would also include soft-drugs and so they would 'get' the second level of meaning; then, for the well-educated or those with a religious background, the third-level meaning of Mary and The Warning becomes available.

The lyricist becomes an artist, and the lyrics become art, to the extent that these different 'meanings' can be supported with other lines laces with two and three-way meanings. In addition to those meanings identified here, the author--more than likely--also has a personal meaning...plus the progression of the stanzas will have a macro-meaning pointing toward an overall meaning--perhaps a stance on the counter-culture, establishment, religion or the idea of salvation via escape from isolation whether in the form of a girl-friend, mind-altering trip or appearance of the divine.

Whatever that salvation is, it is fulfilling...it transforms the empty into refreshing sweetness; which, of course, is something we're seeking (until we have children--ha!), i.e., something in our lives which rids us of our singular isolation and fills us with a zest for life...now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch...

General Commentof course it's about getting high; of course it's about Blessed
Virgin Mary; of course it's about some foxy chick who can
take your mind off anything - the genius of the art is that
all the interps are up to you, the observer - Tandyn Almer,
like John Lennon, James Taylor, Springsteen, or any
good writer, can get his idea or concept across as well
as giving you something to think about

General Comment"Mary" is a reference to marijuana. Like "Cracklin' Rosie" of Neil diamond fame, which is rose wine, mary is a mind changing friend. "And does she want to give me kicks, and be my steady chick", "And does she want to set them free, and let them see reality
From where she got her name"

General CommentOldriff got it right!All of us knew Mary was a metaphor for weed.
The funny thing was that The Association was one of the STRAIGHTEST groups around back then.They pulled a "Nixon goes to China"trick on the world.

General Commentthey weren't straight, man. They were stoners. This song was banned from the radio in the u.s. when it came out 'cos they knew what it was about back then. Just cos they wore suits doesn't make them straights.

General CommentWhatever the meaning, this song rules. They may have been the "straightest" act around, but to write such mind-altering lyrics like those must mean they were toking and smoking it up like Carl Sagan did before he wrote the Pale Blue Dot.

General CommentI can't help but dismiss all this talk about drugs when talking about this song. This writer was classically trained & did rock & roll out of necessity more than anything else. I'm going to give you what he had in mind for the REAL meaning of this song. Hear me out & research the subject matter before you come to a rash determination. Along comes Mary is most definately about the role of Mary the Mother of Jesus The Christ. Not only does it describe the life altering affect she has on mortals by way of numerous earth appearances & various apparition sites over hundreds of years, but you hear proof of this as the last verse refers to The Warning which has been predicted numerous times over the many years ("and when the morning of The Warning's passed the gassed & flacid kids are flung across the stars." and then..."& does she want to see the stains, the dead remains of all the pain she caused the night before." also..."Oh will their waking eyes reflect their lies & make them realize their urgent cry for sight no more?") The Warning comes a year before The Miracle In The Sky & is predicted to come on a Thursday night @ 8:30 on the anniversary of an unnamed martyr. During a 10 minute period everything will stop; literally while God our Father opens our eyes & shows us how we offend Him Who loves us so much. This will change life as we knew it up to that point. It will GRIEVE us inwardly & to some it will be such a shock that it will cause expiration. Then we'll understand life as He wants us to & submit our selfish wills for His Divine Will by surrending ourselves to Him & to the service of others who need our help. Search The Warning on your toolbar. Anyway, this is the meaning of the song. Now, listen to the words now that your lyrical eyes have been opened.{{

This is a very well thought interpretation. My only problem is even if it is about "mary" and how the world will once change for a brief time to allow the sinners (everyone) to re-evaluate their very purpose in life, it is totally metaphor. He is actually being quite bold by denouncing modern or any religion and replacing it with what his view of reality, in his time was/is.

The only problem is that "The Warning" also has a FALSE FORM, and no one who thinks that The Warning is a strictly Catholic idea can possibly prepare people who need the help to DISTINGUISH the true from the false.

@shankre And as further evidence of the cannabis connection with the writer .. he *invented* a waterpipe, called the "Tandyn Slave-Master" which was described in the book "A Child's Garden of Grass" as the "Perfect Bong"

General CommentI believe shankr is smoking something. I have read many comments on songfacts.com and believe it probably is a reference to marijuana. The lyrics are unbelievably vague and yet very colorful and full of life. The Association deserves credit for the classic version with great harmonies. The lead singer is perfect. I cannot blame him that I could never understand the lyrics until I printed them off recently. It would be almost impossible for anyone to spit these words out clearly. Thanks Tandyn Almer, wherever you are.

General CommentI agree with Shankre..........there is no doubt if you know the subject matter. Drugs have nothing to do with it. Its all about The Blessed Mother. Plus the empty cup, his sufferings and lack of material gains, are sweet for he understands the worth. Awesome song!!

General Commentmary is pot, when he feels depressed he smokes pot, and in his high it reminds him of what really matters to him. and when the effects of the high has worn off he still remembers what was realized in his high state. which makes life easier or more enjoyable for him. Marijuana has been called a spiritual drug. he is just singing how it makes him feel. before and afterward.